Sisters

wouldn't be so scared of the next step.” His voice trailed off as she shook her head no.

“Don't do that, if it isn't what you want. Don't settle, Chris,” she said miserably, trying to defend his interests, because she loved him, but they were in conflict with her own.

“I want you,” he said clearly. “That's all I want, Sabrina. It's all I ever wanted since the day I met you. You and your crazy life, your sisters, your father, our silly dog… and one day, kids of our own. You take care of your sisters as though they were your kids. Let them grow up. They will anyway. We could have our kids.”

“What if they hate us? Or they're drug addicts or juvenile delinquents? Doesn't that scare you?” Her eyes were two dark pools of fear. He felt sorry for her, and wanted to put his arms around her. But he didn't. He kept looking at her, wishing it was easier for her.

“It doesn't scare me with you,” he said clearly. “Nothing does. And if they're juvenile delinquents, we'll get rid of them and get new ones.” He smiled at her. “I just want you, sweetheart. However it works for you. If you'd rather live together, we'll do it. Just promise me, if we have kids, we'll get married. I'd like them to be legitimate. It might make a difference to them one day.” She nodded, and smiled slowly at him.

“Maybe after six months of living together, I'd be okay.”

“I hope so,” he said, as he stood up and came to sit down next to her. He put his arms around her and held her, as she leaned her head against him. This was the part of her that had been missing since New Year's Eve. Losing Chris had been worse than losing a limb.

“I'm sorry I was such a jerk on New Year's Eve,” she said softly. “I was scared.”

“I know. It's okay, Sabrina. It's going to be okay… you'll see…”

“Why are you so sure, and I'm such a freak?” But a lot had happened in the past year that had scared her more than ever. With her mother gone, she was even more frightened than before. It had knocked the pins out from under her somehow. And he was right. She took care of everyone else in the world, why not him? And maybe even their kids. “I love you, Chris,” she said, looking up at him.

“I love you too. I was miserable without you. I was thinking about coming over tonight. I was afraid you'd slam the door in my face.” She shook her head, and he kissed her. They hadn't solved all their problems, but it was a beginning.

“I'll move in when we give up the house,” she promised. “I'm going to miss it though. It's been so wonderful.”

“How's Annie doing?” he asked her. He had missed all of them so much. They were like his family now, and had been for so long. They were a lot to lose, and Sabrina even more. She felt the same way about Chris, which was why she had walked over to see him.

“She's doing fine. She's falling in love with Brad. I think it's serious. He's got her taking all kinds of classes, doing sculpture, giving lectures on art in Florence. He wants her to teach there next year. And he's trying to talk her into getting a dog.”

“He's a good man. I like him.” He didn't ask Sabrina if she thought they'd get married. It was still too soon. They had only been dating for two months. And the only person who seemed to be getting married in their family was the one who shouldn't, their father. The whole world was upside down.

He took her to bed then, and she spent the night with him. She remembered to call her sisters, and said she was okay, but didn't say where she was. Tammy was convinced she was with Chris, and they didn't want to call.

She and Chris both went back to the house in the morning, looking a little sheepish, but happy to be together again. Her sisters threw their arms around him and hugged him, like their long-lost brother. It was a happy reunion for them all.

“Welcome home,” Sabrina said softly as she kissed him, and Beulah barked frantically and wagged her tail like a metronome.

Chapter 26

March was an exciting month for them all. Tammy was having a great time with John Sperry, and on St. Patrick's Day, she got a call she would never have expected in a thousand years. The network had an idea for a new show, and they wanted her to develop it, for prime-time TV, out of New York. It was about three young women living together-they were a doctor, a lawyer, and an actress-and the crises that arise in their lives. They were going to shoot it and base it in New York. They wanted big-name actresses in it, and important visiting actors on the show. They already had sponsors for it, and they wanted Tammy to produce it. It was just like what she had done in Los Angeles, only bigger and better. It was exactly what she would have wanted, if she had dreamed it up herself. She couldn't believe her good luck. It was a fabulous opportunity. She accepted it immediately. They wanted it on the air by the following spring, which meant she would be staying in the city, even after they gave up the house. And she realized it probably meant she would sell her house in L.A. now, and buy something here. A brownstone of her own. Maybe her sisters could even live with her, since their current arrangement had worked so well.

The network already had an office for her, an assistant, and a secretary. She could pick her own associate producers. They were giving her carte blanche and a budget that blew her mind. All they wanted was an Emmy down the road, and they felt certain she could win one for them.

She couldn't wait to tell John as soon as she left the office. They wanted her to start by June, and her schedule was her own. It allowed her to give the show she was working on a decent three months' notice to find someone else to produce Can This Relationship Be Saved? It's Up to You! It was probably the worst show she had ever worked on, but she had actually enjoyed it a lot more than she expected to. And in a way, she'd miss some of the people she'd worked with. The show had served her well, kept her busy, made her some decent money, and it had only taken six months for something better to come along. The new show was the biggest opportunity of her career. And when she told John, he was ecstatic for her. He said he had known nothing about it, and Tammy believed him.

“It's going to be the hottest show on the air,” he confirmed to her. They talked about it animatedly over lunch, and she told her sisters as soon as she got home that night.

“Cool!” Candy said excitedly. She was leaving the next day for a two-week shoot in Japan. It was big money for her, and she had already made plans to visit Paul at Brown when she got back. Annie was happy with Brad. Chris was back. All was well in their world.

Her sisters congratulated Tammy on the new job. And she gave notice on Relationship the next day. Irving Solomon was sorry to lose her, but he told her that she had done a great job with his show, and pulled the ratings way up. It was what Tammy did best.

Annie was supposed to graduate that month, but Brad had convinced her to extend it and train with a seeing- eye dog. She wasn't enthusiastic about it, but she said she'd try it. She had picked out her own chocolate lab, and would graduate in May with the dog. Baxter left school at the end of March, but they promised to stay in touch. He had become a very special friend, and had made school better for her right from the first. Now he was passing the baton to Brad, who wanted her to teach several art classes in the spring. Both history and painting. She didn't see how she could paint without seeing, but Brad suggested she do abstract work, and see how it went. She had discovered that sculpture wasn't her thing, but she liked working with pottery and a kiln, and had made some beautiful pieces she gave to Brad.

The best thing they did when Candy got back from Japan in early April was plan a trip together. Tammy and John organized a ski trip in Vermont for all of them. They spent a weekend at a house he rented. Everyone skied except Annie, but she had a good time going for long walks. She had brought her new dog up just for company. They hadn't done their training yet. She had named her Jessica, and she was very sweet. She got along with all the other dogs in the house.

The ski weekend was utter perfection. Annie rode the ski lift up and down. And Brad took Annie skating at night, which she had always loved, and found she could still do, as long as she held his arm. They had a fantastic time, and Paul had even driven over from Brown to be with Candy. Sabrina and Chris had never been happier. They were comfortable with their new agreement. Nothing would change until the sisters gave up the house in four months. And then she and Chris would move in together. And all of them had spoken to their father when he got